The Knight's Leap: A Legend of Altenahr


Now the foeman are burning the gate, men of mine,
And the water is spent and gone?
Then bring me a cup of the red Ahr-wine,
I'll never drink but this one.

And bring me harness. and saddle my horse,
And lead him 'round the door;
He must take such a leap tonight, perforce,
As a horse never took before.

Chorus:
I have fought my fight, I’ve lived my life,
I have drunk my share of wine:
From Trieste to Cologne 'twas never a knight
Led a merrier life that mine!

Well I've lived in the saddle for twoscore years.
And if I must die on a tree
This old saddlebow that bore me of yore
Is the only timber for me.

Now to show to Bishop, to Burger. to Priest
How the Altenahr hawk can die,
If they smoke the old falcon out of his nest
He’ll take to his wings and fly!

(Chorus)

So harnessed himself in the pale moonlight
And he mounted his horse at the door,
Then he drank a cup of the red Ahr-wine
As a man never drank before.

Then he spurred his old warhorse. held him tight,
And leaped him over the wall
Out over the cliff, out into the night
Three hundred feet of fall!

(Chorus)

He was found next morning in the glen below
With not one bone left whole:
Say a mass or a prayer good travelers all
for such a bold rider’s soul!

(Chorus)

words: Charles Kingsley
music: Leslie Fish